Zombietalia
by sugarhuney2
Summary: It all started about 5 years ago. The natural disasters. Then came this... virus. People got so sick they couldn't even get out of bed. Doctors made what they believed to be a cure and distributed it world-wide without charge. They didn't know the healing effects of their 'cure' were only short term. And once it wore off, the virus got worse. So much worse...
1. Lovino, Feliciano, and Antonio

**A/N: I honestly hope you guys like this and appreciate the EXTREME amounts of time and hardwork I put into this! I trapped myself a good many times trying to keep things perfect for you guys! If you can't bring yourself to like the hard work I put into this, then... I don't know what to say. I'm sorry if I couldn't fulfil your story needs.**

**Sorry. I just put too much into this, so I'm kinda overprotective over it. I hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia.**

**WARNING! This fanfiction contains Human!Hetalia, drug use, foul language, character death, zombies, intense action, blood and gore, sexual themes, and... Well, all the good stuff.**

**/ / /**

_**July 7, 2022**_

_It started five years ago, the apocalypse. God, that word is so stupid... But it's true. There were world-wide natural disasters. The smaller nations got it the worst. Europe was almost knocked off of the map. Earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, tornadoes, you fucking name it. They happened **everywhere.** Surprisingly, America wasn't as damaged as you'd expect. It was the coastal areas that got the worst of it. I don't think there were any survivors. California almost got washed away. Maine actually **did** get washed away, as did over half of Florida and a few other states, but I'm not going to explain the current geography of the world to you._

_After the disasters, the power got knocked out almost everywhere. The areas that weren't hit hard with the natural disasters lost barely any power at all. After a couple of weeks, electricity was restored in almost every area. Sadly, that was right after the diseases swept the Earth._

_Over half of the world's population had been wiped out by the natural disasters, but around 2 billion had survived. A virus, or plague, as some prefer to call it, spread throughout the world and affected a small number of people at first. Only around 6 million, and they were all spread out evenly within the remaining nations._

_Of course people did whatever they could to cure the virus. People refused to work on restoring buildings and living areas until their loved ones were cured. Some people were practical, though, and restored their homes so they wouldn't have to live in shelters with sometimes hundreds of other people._

_Doctors eventually made a cure, and those who were sick were treated as soon as possible, and all was fine. People began restoring buildings and supporting their loved ones, but over time it became clear that the supposed 'cure' was only temporary. It only lasted for two weeks, and the symptoms of those who had been infected before came back with a vengeance._

_The infected would claw at their own skin as though their very bones were itching uncontrollably, they mutilated themselves so badly that they had to be bound before they injured themselves further. They would cough and throw up blood uncontrollably, their hair would fall out, they would hallucinate and scream at what wasn't real._

_In a short amount of time, the infected became violent. Violent and unbelievably strong. Scientists and doctors performed tests and proved that those who entered the final stage of the virus were dead. The only organ that worked, according to the researchers, was the brain. Also, the brain wasn't working as a whole. Only parts of it were functional, which allowed it to move(Or, well, stumble) about, find food, eat... and bite. The only way to stop those in the final stage would be to chop off the head or pierce the brain._

_Scientists are still working on a permanent cure for those in the beginning stages, but after five years, there hasn't been anything remotely close to a breakthrough... I guess this means I'm going to have to end it all. And soon._

* * *

"_Cosa_? Lovino? What are you doing?" A sleepy Feliciano asked.

"We're going on an adventure, Feli." Lovino whispered.

"An adventure?!" Feliciano asked excitedly, all tiredness gone.

Lovino nodded, his face stern and serious. "Yeah, but you have to be quiet."

"Okay!" Feliciano whispered, then got out of bed. "Where are we going? Are we going to take Michael?"*

A sad look spread across Lovino's face, but he covered it up quickly. "No. He's too young. Hurry up and pack."

"Pack? What do you mean 'pack'? Are we leaving? And Michael's 9! He's old enough for our adventures!" Feliciano whined.

Lovino put a finger to his lips. "This adventure isn't like the others! Just trust me on this." He whispered.

"Fine..." Feliciano mumbled.

"Get your school bag and dump everything out of it, then pack your clothes and anything you can't leave behind. I'll wait for you downstairs." Lovino said, then left without another word.

Feliciano dumped out all the contents in his backback, then dug through his drawers and shoved all of his clothes into his bag, filling it over halfway.** He then put his favorite book, a notebook, his diary, and a mechanical pencil into it. Feliciano then double-checked to make sure he had everything, then ran out of his room, into the bathroom, and grabbed his toothbrush before running to his brother.

Lovino sat on the couch with his own bag slung over his shoulder, Antonio sitting next to him, tears streaming down his face, his own bag sitting on his lap.

"Are you ready to go, Feli?" Lovino asked.

Feliciano nodded exitedly, but the big smile on his face disappeared when he saw Antonio.

"Why is he crying?"

Antonio seemed confused. "Lovi, didn't you tell him?" He asked.

Lovino shook his head. "I'm giving it a few days." He said, then took his brother by the arm. "Let's go."

Antonio got off the couch and hurried to Lovino's side, then grabbed his free hand quickly and held it tightly.

Lovino sneered, but didn't pull away.

"Where are we going?" Feliciano asked.

"Far away from here. We're playing a game." Lovino said.

"What kind of game?" Feliciano asked. "Can Luddy come?"

Lovino shook his head. "We don't have enough time to get him!" He said.

Feliciano pouted. "Why not?" He asked.

Lovino's face turned red. "H-he might catch up with us later on." He lied.

"Okay..." Feliciano mumbled.

"For our game," Lovino said, changing the subject. "I got all of the adults to help us."

"All of them?! Wow! You're so cool, Lovino!" Feliciano swooned.

Lovino's face turned redder. "Y-yeah, whatever... A-anyways, the adults are all after us. You can't let them hear you or see you. If we get out of town without getting spotted, we win." He explained.

"It sounds fun! Let's go!" Feliciano said.

Antonio looked uncomfortable.

"Fine, but remember, if one sees you, you run away as fast as you can. If you get caught, you lose." Lovino said sternly.

Feliciano nodded, and Lovino led them both out of the house, starting their short trek out of the small town.

* * *

"Damn it!" Lovino growled, then pushed Antonio and his brother behind a large fallen sign.

"What's wrong?" Feliciano asked.

"Sh! It's a grown-up!" Lovino whispered angily.

Feliciano covered his mouth with his hand and nodded.

"Hey... Where's mama and papa?" Feliciano whispered.

Lovino tensed up, shook a little, then let out a long breath. "Th-they... They're a part of the game..." He said quietly. "B-but I think they stopped because they didn't want to leave the house."

Feliciano shrugged, believing his brother because he had no reason not to.

"Is it gone yet?" Antonio whispered.

Lovino snuck a quick peek, then looked back and shook his head. "Give it a few more minutes."

Feliciano seemed happy out of his mind. His eyes were closed and he seemed to be in thinking mode. He was no doubt thinking about how amazing his big brother was, being able to get all the adults in town to be a part of the 'game'.

"'Toni." Lovino whispered.

"_Si?" _Antonio whispered back.

"You made sure the others know where we're going, right?" Lovino asked.

Antonio smiled brightly. "_Si_, I did~! They should meet us sooner or later." He said softly.

Lovino nodded his approval and peered once again around the sign to see if it was safe to move. It was.

"It's clear. Feli, let's go." Lovino whispered.

Feliciano snapped out of his daze and smiled. "Yes, sir!" He said with a cheery salute.

Lovino felt his face flush a dark pink with frustration at his brother's cheeriness at such an awful time, but, knowing that that was entirely his fault, he calmed himself unnaturally quickly. He crept slowly out from behind the fallen sign, then looked all around so he could truly be sure the area was clear.

Once he was absolutely certain it was safe to move, he signaled to his brother and Antonio to follow his lead.

Lovino made sure the two had caught up with him before he started walking again, constantly making sure they were a safe distance behind him.

Lovino was thankful he lived near the outskirts of the small town. It made getting to the safe house much quicker. It was also more safe, lessening the chances of them running into the zombies.

* * *

They reached their safe house in little under 10 minutes. It truly wasn't a large distance, but Feliciano got tired quickly and they had had to hide about two other times due to the undead wandering about.

The safe house happened to be a cabin that had belonged to the Vargas brothers' Grandfather, Romulus, before he disappeared.

The cabin was now a place where the Vargas brothers and their friends would hang out and come to when they needed to be alone, or to get away from things.

"Feli, keep your stuff in your bags and go to bed. We've got a lot to do tomorrow." Lovino commanded.

Feliciano pouted, but nodded and sauntered off to the bedroom.

"Antonio, turn on the T.V. and switch it to the news channel." Lovino commanded.

Antonio did as he was told.

They had turned it on just in time, as a new segment had just begun.

A black screen appeared, giving a warning that some of the content was graphic and not suitable for children, and that viewer discretion was advised. Then a pretty lady in a red trench coat appeared on the screen in front of a ruined city.

_"We have received information that the virus turning regular, once-healthy people into mindless cannibals is no longer confined, but has become a world-wide epidemic. Sources are telling us that after the two large earthquakes here in America, of which surprisingly only knocked out the electricity in a few small areas, people everywhere began to exhibit strange symptoms. After a few days, they became violent and began biting others, after which, these victims began showing the same symptoms of those who bit them. The symptoms include lightheadedness, stomach pains, the throwing and/or coughing up of blood, and unnaturally high fevers. Doctors and scientists have examined a few patients showing these symptoms and have told us that after the symptoms stop and they become violent, they're basically dead, as every organ outside of the brain stops working. Further testing proved that those infected had no memory of their past lives, and couldn't even remember how to speak. We're being told that the motives of the diseased are to eat, and nothing more. A quick study shows that they have no digestive tract, and that their need to eat is fueled not by hunger, but by bloodlust. They have shown no interest in anything outside of human flesh. Doctors and scientists are working on a cure, but we have been assured that if this cure can be made, it will only affect those in the first stage of the virus. Those who have gone into the final stage cannot be saved. They've told us that the only way to stop those who have gone through the final stage of infection is to either remove the head, or destroy the brain. Thank you for watching. Stay safe out there, and good luck to you all."_

Lovino took the remote from Antonio and shut the T.V. off.

"Well, damn." He mumbled.

"What're we gonna do? We can't fight a bunch of adults out to kill us!" Antonio said, panicking.

"Keep your voice down, asshole! If Feli hears, I won't be able to calm him down!" Lovino hissed.

Antonio sniffled and looked away.

Lovino's face started turning red from guilt and embarassment. Making Antonio sad wasn't going to help the situation in the least.

"T-toni..." Lovino muttered.

"_Si?_" Antonio sniffled.

"Go... Go get some sleep. I'll wait for the others and figure out a plan while you do." Lovino said, thinking he was getting all mushy and lovey-dovey and _hating _it with a passion.

Antonio got what Lovino really meant, and his sadness stopped immediately and a huge smile spread on his face. "Lovi's so sweet. _Gracias~_! I'll see you in the morning." He said.

Lovino nodded, his face getting redder and redder. "Just...! Go to bed, asshole!" He snapped.

Antonio laughed and skipped off to the bedroom where Feliciano was.

"He's like a little girl..." Lovino mumbled, then turned his chair toward the entrance. He crossed his arms, leaned back, then started planning on how he could get his brother and his friends through the apocalypse alive.

**/ / /**

***Seborga's name.**

****Feli and Lovi come from a poor family.**

**Translations**

**Si- Yes**

**Gracias- Thank you**

**Stronzo- Asshole**

**Coza-What**

**A/N: In case you guys are wondering, this is 5 years before the present time. Lovino is 12, Feliciano is 9, and Antonio is 12.**

**I'll bring it to the present time after a few chapters, but you need to see the backstory first so you can understand things, and so **_**I**_** can get (most of) the gang together.**

**I made SEVERAL stupid mistakes and had to go back and fix them.**


	2. Alfred and Mattieu

**A/N: This isn't a happy chapter. I may have gotten a bit frustrated with myself while writing, so I'd completely understand if you hated me after reading.**

**For... **_**special **_**purposes, I made Canada three years younger than America. **

**In case you didn't notice, I edited chapter 1 just a little. I added an actual intro and I changed Lovino's and Feliciano's ages, but that's about it.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia.**

**CHARACTERS IN THIS CHAPTER: America, Canada, France, England, Romano**

**America: 12**

**Canada: 9**

**/ / /**

"Papa, why do you have a gun? I thought you hated guns." Alfred said to Francis.

"_Oui_, I do... But the time has come where we must now have them with us at all times." Francis explained.

"Why?" Alfred asked. His big blue eyes followed his father's hands as they cleaned the gun.

Francis halted his progress. "Ah... Your father will tell you soon. After dinner, in fact." He said, sounding nervous. "Have you finished packing yet?"

Alfred pouted. "No..."

"Then finish! Go quickly!" Francis ushered.

Alfred obeyed and ran off to his room. He had been told to pack essentials, the items he couldn't live without, and as many clothes possible.

Of course, first came the clothes. He had packed whatever he could fit into his bag. Then the items he couldn't live without. He carefully placed the item that possed the most of hissentimental value into his Batman bag, his Nintendo DS. The one his fathers had given to him for his birthday. They even gave him a case and cover for it, along with several games, of course. After that, he packed his phone and the chargers to both items. Almost done, but he had yet to pack his comb, toothbrush, glasses case, and several other essentials. He took his bag into the bathroom and grabbed all of his stuff and shoved what he could into it, disoraganized as always.

**/POV CHANGE\\**

"Daddy?" Mattieu pulled at Arthur's sleeve.

"Yes?" Arthur asked, his heart swelling at the sight of his adorable 10-year-old.

"I'm done packing... Where are we going, daddy? Are we going to come back?" Mattieu asked.

Sweet, innocent little Mattieu! Arthur's heart almost shattered right then and there. He left the water to boil on the stove and knelt down in front of his youngest son, putting his hand on the little guy's head.

"We're leaving here for a better, safer place. I don't think we'll ever be coming back." He said, putting it bluntly. It wasn't like him to do so, but he just couldn't bring himself to lie to his youngest child.

"But... I like it here..." Mattieu said.

"I know. I do too, but we don't have a choice." Arthur said, then pulled Mattieu, who was on the verge of tears, to his chest in a hug.

"Daddy...?"

"Yes, Mattieu?"

"Why do we have to leave...?"

Arthur paused, then gently pushed Mattieu out in front of him, looking him straight in the eyes. "I'll tell you tonight after dinner, okay?"

"Promise?" Mattieu asked, holding his pinky finger out.

"Promise." Arthur said with a smile as he locked his pinky finger around Mattieu's.

"Daddy?" Matthieu asked.

"Yes, Mattieu?" Arthur asked, not taking his eyes off of his son's.

"The water's boiling over."

Arthur gasped and jumped up to check. Sure enough, the water _was _boiling over. "Bloody Hell! Francis!" He yelled. "Get in here and trade me jobs right now!"

"Be there in a moment!" Francis called.

**/POV CHANGE\\**

Francis flipped the saftey switch on his gun so it wouldn't fire if one of his boys(namely Alfred) wouldn't shoot anything while he was out of the room. He then stood and placed the gun on the spot where he had been sitting.

Francis speed-walked into the kitchen. Knowing Arthur, he had probably turned a simple thing into a disaster. Maybe he had accidentally set the marble counter on fire. It wasn't impossible, as Francis distinctly remembered that his husband had somehow managed to set a bowl of cereal aflame.

Sure enough, the second Francis stepped into the kitchen, Arthur had just moved a pot of water onto the marble countertop. He then turned away from it for one moment to pick up Mattieu...and suddenly the countertop was on fire.

Francis sighed, trying to cover up his laughter. It succeeded. "I thought we had decided that I would cook all the meals from now on." He said, trying to sound frustrated, but he couldn't pull it off.

"It was 7 P.M. and you didn't look like you'd be putting that damn gun down anytime soon!" Arthur snapped.

Mattieu left the kitchen, thankfully he knew he shouldn't be around when his daddy started swearing.

"It's 7?!" Francis asked, shocked.

"Yes!" Arthur said.

Francis groaned. "Forgive me, I seem to have lost track of time... But with it so late, I'm sure the boys are becoming impatient. We might as well just have a cold dinner."

"What, you mean something like apples and granola bars?" Arthur asked.

Francis nodded.

"I COULD'VE DONE THAT!" Arthur yelled.

Francis raised his hands in surrender. "Which is why I'll let you get the food together." He said.

"Your cooking utensils are cursed! Cursed I say! They're the only reason I can't cook anything!" Arthur fumed as he turned his back to Francis and began putting the portable meals together.

Francis smirked.

**CRASH!**

Both Francis and Arthur jumped at the noise. It sounded as though something had rammed against the door.

"Dad? Papa? What was that?" Alfred shouted.

"Where's your brother?" Arthur yelled back.

"He's standing next to me! Why?" Alfred responded.

**CRASH!**

Whatever was trying to get in was obviously very strong. If the door hadn't been locked and made of oak, it probably would've been knocked off of its hinges by now.

"Stay in that room until one of us comes and gets you, okay?" Arthur yelled.

"Why?" Alfred asked.

"Just listen to your father and stay put!" Francis yelled.

No response back.

Francis jogged into the Living Room on light feet. He picked up his gun and aimed it at the doorway, waiting for whatever it was to burst through so he could shoot.

**CRASH!**

The door was almost gone now. The wood was splintered, and Francis could see some of the infected person through the cracks in the door. He could see a white, bloodstained t-shirt with words on the front he couldn't make out. It had a larger build, so Francis guessed it used to be a man.

**CRASH!**

The zombie broke through the door and tumbled onto the ground. It had almost grey skin, and when it lifted its head, France saw that it had a dislocated jaw. It hung grotesquely off to the side of its face, teeth and gums bleeding, tongue moving around as though it had a mind of its own. Francis couldn't help but gag at the sight. He almost threw up when the smell hit him. The smell of death and decay.

Francis pulled the trigger, but it didn't shoot. How could his happen?! He had tested it earlier and it had worked fine! He spent _hours _cleaning it and making sure it was in peak condition! Why did it have to jam itself _now _of all times?!

The trigger wouldn't budge no matter how hard he squeezed it.

The zombie had stood up and lunged at Francis while he was trying to fix his gun. He shrieked. It was a feminine, fear-filled, shrill noise that could have probably been heard throughout the small neighborhood.

"FRANCIS!" Arthur cried, then ran into the kitchen and grabbed a large butcher knife. He ran back into the Living Room and kicked the infected man off of his husband. He then got on top of the grotesque thing and stabbed it as many times as he could before Francis pulled him off.

Arthur had managed to sever the head and completely mutilated the face. It was almost impossible to tell that the thing had once been a human being. Not that it was easy to tell _before _Arthur attacked it.

Tears were rushing down Arthur's face as Francis held him close. "Are you okay?! What the Hell happened?!" Arthur snapped at him.

"I think the gun malfuntioned." Francis muttered.

Arthur grabbed the gun and examined it, then punched Francis in the shoulder. "The saftey was on, you git! You could've been killed!" He cried.

"Then you should keep the gun. You know more about those things more than I do." Francis said.

"And what will _you _use?" Arthur asked.

"See, my love... I won't be using anything anymore." Francis said softly.

"What... What do you mean?" Arthur asked, though he already knew the answer. He was simply too horrified to come to terms with it just yet.

Francis pushed Arthur away and showed him an awful looking bite on the side of his neck. It was deep and seemed to already be festering.

Arthur covered his mouth and sobbed.

"I don't know how much time I have left... I love you, Arthur. Tell the boys I love them, too." Francis said.

Arthur clutched the gun tightly in his left hand, which had slid down to his knee. "What will I do without you?" He asked, unable to look Francis in the eye anymore. He stared down at the floor instead.

"I can already hear the moaning outside. We made too much noise. You need to take our sons and go. I'll hold them off the best I can." Francis said, then stood and offered a hand to Arthur, who grabbed it and gripped it tightly, but didn't stand.

"Please, Arthur. You need to go. You need to keep our sons safe." Francis begged, and pulled on Arthur's hand, pleading for him to hurry.

Arthur sniffled, the stood slowly. He quickly blinked away the tears, then looked Francis in the eyes and nodded.

Francis pulled him close in a hug, then kissed him on the lips one last time.

Arthur pulled away quickly. "I won't be able to get over this if you draw it out!" He growled.

Francis chuckled deeply, then gently pushed Arthur's shoulder. "Protect them. I'm counting on you." He said.

Arthur nodded, then ran up to his son's bedroom. There, he saw Mattieu sitting on Alfred's lap in a corner of the room. Alfred was hugging him tightly to comfort both him and himself.

"Dad...? What happened?" Alfred asked.

"Now's not the time. You two need to grab your bags right now. We're leaving." Arthur said.

Mattieu got off of his elder brother's lap and grabbed his bag, which he had set next to Alfred's bag on his bed.

Alfred got up quickly. He seemed to realize the urgency of the situation without even knowing what the situation was. He grabbed his own bag and in no time they were going out through the back door.

"Where's papa?" Little Mattieu asked sweetly.

"He's... not coming." Arthur said.

"Why?" Mattieu asked.

"He... He got very sick right before we left, so he had to stay." Arthur said. He was trying to choose his words carefully.

"Will he find us when he gets better?" Mattieu asked.

"I'm sure he'll try his hardest to find us, because he's a good man who loves his family more than anything." Arthur said.

Mattieu seemed pleased with the answer and didn't ask any more questions.

They made their way out of the neighborhood and into the business and shop area of city without incident or further questioning.

"Dad, what really happened downstairs?" Alfred asked.

Arthur sighed. He knew he wouldn't be able to avoid the question, and he had to tell the boys sooner or later. He ushered the boys to a place he believed to be out of sight, behind a crumbling old office building.

Arthur had no idea how to explain the situation gently, so he said it as it was.

"It's the apocalypse, boys." Arthur said.

"The... Apocalypse?" Mattieu asked.

Arthur remembered that he was talking to children. They didn't understand such large words.

"The end of the world, boys. Alfred, do you remember those zombie games I got you?" Arthur asked.

Alfred nodded. "Is that what's happening?" He asked.

"Yes." Arthur replied.

"So... they eat people, and the only way to kill them is by a headshot?" Alfred asked.

"I believe that's correct, yes." Arthur said.

Alfred went quiet. "I... understand." He said. He was very serious. It was almost unsettling.

Mattieu didn't know how to react, so he didn't. He didn't even seem scared, bless his little heart.

"Where are we going, then?" Alfred asked.

"We'll be leaving city. We're going to try to find areas without a lot of zombies and stay there until supplies run out." Arthur said.

Alfred nodded. "Seems reasonable." Of course, when it came to subjects like these, he automatically became an expert whether people agreed with him or not.

"This took a lot less time than I anticipated." Arthur muttered

Alfred smiled a little, and Arthur forced himself to smile back. He then stood up and led the boys out of the area.

It was dark out, though it was only about 8. The boys hadn't eaten yet, and neither had he. It was also nearing Mattieu's bedtime. Arthur considered finding a clear area soon and letting the boys eat whatever he could scavenge, and then they could sleep in a nice, concealed area... He mentally sighed. If this is how the first night was going to go... well, he could only hope things would get better as they moved on. If not, they would be dead within a week.

Arthur heard a noise. It was like growling, only it was higher pitched and sounded a bit more... Pheglm-y.

He suddenly felt that it wasn't safe, being in plain sight in the middle of the street. He couldn't see anything past the sidewalk, it was already so dark.

Basic reasoning proved walking in the light, where you could be easily spotted, was far safer than walking in the dark, where you can't see what's coming at you and from where... But Arthur was beyond reasoning at this point.

Arthur was slowly driving himself insane with worry. He wanted to keep his sons and himself safe, but that would prove to be impossible if he continued thinking in the way he was.

"Maybe the zombies can see..." "The zombies will smell us!" "They'll hear us before we hear them..." "Maybe they possess some sort of intelligence..." "They could ambush us!" Such thoughts raced through Arthur's mind. The thing he was most fearful of at the moment, though, was being able to be seen by any and everything that might have happened to look into the street.

Arthur ushered the boys out of the street and onto the sidewalk, where the streetlamps' lights weren't as harsh. This immediately brought out protests from the brothers. Alfred tried to tell Arthur just how unsafe this was, and Mattieu was complaining about being scared of the darkness.

Arthur ignored the boys as his paranoia got worse. He jumped at every little noise, sped up and slowed down consistently, began to mutter under his breath... This entire situation was already taking it's toll on him.

"Dad? Did you hear that?" Alfred asked after a few minutes of walking almost in the shadows.

"Alfred, this isn't a good time to play with dad's nerves." Arthur whispered.

"I'm not! I heard something!" Alfred argued.

"I didn't hear anything. Just be quiet until we find a place to rest for tonight, okay?" Arthur said.

Alfred growled and crossed his arms, muttering about how they needed to be more cautious.

It took a few moments, but Arthur finally _did_ hear something. Footsteps and that same, high-pitched almost-growl.

Arthur looked into the street and saw a rather gruff, homeless-looking man stumbling about. Even in the awful lighting, it was obvious that the man's throat was practically torn out, so any sound he decided to make would only come out as a gurgle, or that odd growl.

Arthur ushered the boys and himself near an untidy, untrimmed bush and they all crouched low. The infected man stumbled in an almost zig-zagged way down the street until it ended up within a 10-foot radius of the small group. It then stopped. The odd noise it continually made also ceased. It's head raised just slightly, and then there was a wheezing noise.

The boys were doing very well at keeping quiet, but Arthur had to force himself not to shriek. His arms were behind him, supporting him, as his knees were too shaky and frail to support them on their own.

The zombie then let out a noise that sounded like a cough and lunged at them.

Arthur couldn't hold back anymore. He let out a scream that could be heard throughout city and shot up. He tried to grab his sons' hands, but before he could, the zombie barreled forward and rammed it's almost detached head into Arthur's stomach, knocking him over.

"RUN! RUN AND DON'T LOOK BACK!" Arthur screamed at the boys.

Alfred's legs were frozen in fear. He was able to bring his hand up to Mattieu's eyes, shielding him from the horror of watching that _thing _somehow skillfully manuever it's head so that it could bite and devour parts of his screaming father. Alfred himself couldn't look away. His mouth agape in shock and fear.

Arthur continued to scream, alerting any and everything in the area of live, fresh meat. It would surely attract any zombie within a 100 miles.

Alfred unwillingly brought himself to move, and, forcing tears down, he snatched his little brother's hand and ran as far away from that area as possible, his fathers screams didn't get any quieter, but after a minute or so, they abruptly stopped.

Alfred and Mattieu ended up running to the old, broken down building they had stopped at only a short while ago. Alfred had Mattieu sit on a broken, dusty chair while he himself sat on the floor.

Alfred tore his backpack off of his shoulders and all but ripped it open, then dug around under the pile of clothes. He soon found what he was looking for and pulled a plastic baggie containing a small, black, rectangular item. His cellphone.

Alfred turned the treasured item on and sent a mass-media text to all of his contacts asking if anyone was alive and possibly in the area. It was a stupid idea. Surivors had probably ditched their phones, thinking of them as a useless distraction, but it was still worth the effort.

_Maybe somone was still in the area._

_Maybe someone still had their phone with them._

_Maybe someone would care enough to help them out._

_Maybe-_

_**Beep!**_

There went the cellphone, and Alfred checked it hopefully. It was nothing, just the old flip phone signaling it was at 18% battery. He really should have charged it before he left...

_'It's only been about a minute. Nobody responds that fast.' _Alfred reassured himself.

_Someone has their phone with them._

_Someone will come to help us._

_Someone will._

_Someone will..._

_Someone..._

_No..._

_No one's going to help us..._

_We'll have to fend for ourselves..._

_We're going to die!_

_We-_

_**Beep! Beep!**_

That couldn't have been a battery notification... It had just notified him a short while ago!

_**Beep! Beep!**_

Again?

_**Beep! Beep!**_

_**Beep! Beep!**_

_**Beep! Beep!**_

Alfred quickly opened the phone and unlocked it. Two text messages. They were from Antonio's phone... Alfred almost smiled at the nicknames he put in for the half-Spainard and himself.

**Toni(Stark): **_**Are you alive?**_

**Toni(Stark):**_** Did your stupid ringtone get you killed?**_

**Toni(Stark): **_**Hey! Bastard! You texted ME so answer back!**_

**Toni(Stark): **_**If you're still alive that os.**_

**Toni(Stark): **_***is**_

**Captain 'Murica: **_**This isn't Antonio...**_

**Toni(Stark): **_**No shit, Sherlock! It's freaking Lovino! Remember me?!**_

**Toni(Stark):**_** Tonio's asleep. Is it just you, or are there other survivors?**_

**Captain 'Murica: **_**Mattie's with me.**_

**Toni(Stark): **_**Either of you have bites? Scratches that look infected? Check yourselves before texting me back.**_

Alfred looked over at Mattieu, who had managed to fall asleep in such a short amount of time. Gingerly, so that he wouldn't wake him up, Alfred searched him all over, checking for bites and/or scratches. After that, he checked himself. They were both completely fine, but it had taken a surprisingly long amount of time. About 5 minutes... But he had been thorough, so Lovino was bound to be pleased!

**Captain 'Murica: **_**No bites or scratches on either of us.**_

**Toni(Stark): **_**Took you long enough. You better have been thorough.**_

**Captain 'Murica: **_**Course!**_

**Toni(Stark): **_**Good.**_

**Toni(Stark): **_**Remember my Grandpa?**_

**Captain 'Murica: **_**Yes?**_

**Toni(Stark): **_**His cabin. You know where it is, right?**_

**Captain 'Murica: **_**Yeah! I think we're actually really close to it right now!**_

**Toni(Stark): **_**Then get over here. Other survivors should also be showing up soon enough.**_

**Captain 'Murica: **_**Got it! We'll head over there ASAP!**_

**Toni(Stark): **_**Hey...**_

**Captain 'Murica: **_**?**_

**Toni(Stark): **_**I heard a lot of screaming a bit ago. It was nearby, so hoardes of zombies have probably infested the area. Don't bring any back with you, understand?**_

Alfred actually smiled a little. He remembered that Lovino couldn't share his true feelings well, or at all, really. Antonio told him to have patience with Lovino, which Alfred did, and eventually Lovino took a bit of a shining to him and his words became much sharper. Alfred eventually figured out how Lovino's way of affection worked, and he was able to figure out what Lovino really meant. It was an honor, really, because only about 3 or 4 people were actually able to do that, himself included.

The text message translated into the words of a normal person who could express their feelings would probably be around the lines of 'I heard a lot of screaming nearby a little bit ago, so there are a lot of zombies. Stay safe, I don't know what I'd do if I lost a friend as awesome as you.'

Alfred stared at his phone a little longer, a small smile on his face, before he replied.

**Captain 'Murica: **_**Okay.**_

Alfred slid the phone back into its baggie, closed it, then returned it to his bag where it belonged.

Alfred looked over at his brother and felt a twinge of dread. Mattieu was now _his _responsibility.

Alfred walked over to his brother and shook him until he finally opened his eyes. A few minutes of sleep obviously hadn't been enough for him.

Alfred felt kind of bad. His brother was obviously tired, and that might not go well if they had to start running, so he made a deal. Mattieu would ride on Alfred's back, but he'd have to hold on tight to both Alfred and the bags. Of course, little Mattie agreed. He always loved piggyback rides.

Of course, Mattieu fell asleep in a matter or seconds when he was finally secured onto his brother's back. The bags were strapped to his shoulders, and he was gripping his own wrist tightly, both of his arms thrown around Alfred's neck, almost choking him.

Alfred tentatively left the crumbling building and stepped out into the open. He could hear moaning and groaning and growling coming from a while away, and he knew he didn't have much time until the infected got a whiff of him and his brother.

Alfred thought for a moment, then his mind filled with dread as he realized that luck was _not _on his side tonight.

The only way to get to Lovino's cabin was to go through or around the zombies.

Alfred knew he had to move quickly, the zombies could probably run faster than him. The chances of that being true hightened as he had to carry some extra weight.

Alfred knew the zombies would probably sniff him out, or, if not that, they would hear his footsteps as he tried to get around them.

Alfred was scaring himself, thinking about what could happen.

Then his little brother grunted and tensed up on his back.

Alfred stopped thinking of what would happen and focused on his brother. Mattieu was his responsibility. Alfred now had to keep his brother safe at any cost, and that would surely help him get to Lovino's cabin.

Alfred made a mental map of the city. He chose the best possible route for avoiding the undead feasting on his father.

He started off. He only had to take three turns. The first was to get to the edge of town, the second to go up the street, and the third to take a right, getting him straight to his friend's hideout. It didn't take him long, he knew, though he was unable to check the time. He also got there with no trouble. He had heard no groaning or moaning or growling, and he hadn't even seen a body. He was certain that meant nothing but good.

Alfred knocked at the door and was greeted by Lovino, who seemed relieved to see he and his brother alive. But only for a moment. That look of relief was soon replaced with a scowl.

"About time, you fucking bastards..." Lovino growled. He stepped to the side, letting Alfred in.

"Sorry it took so long." Alfred said, a grin beggining to creep onto his face.

"You can stick your brother in the bedroom. Just don't wake Feli or Antonio." Romano said, then marched over a chair that faced the doorway and sat down.

Alfred tiptoed into the bedroom and placed Mattieu next to Lovino's little brother. He smiled a little at their sleeping forms, then crept out just as quietly as he had come in.

"You could sleep in there with them. I wouldn't care." Lovino mumbled.

Alfred shrugged. "I'm fine with keeping watch with you." He said.

"I don't _need _help." Lovino growled, then paused. "But if you insist, you can sleep on the couch and I could wake you if I get fed up waiting for the others."

Alfred smirked. "Sure thing, buddy." He teased, then lie down on the couch and closed his eyes.

**/ / /**

**A/N: I hate being sick. I hate being unable to sleep. I hate being unable to find the right words or use the right descriptions when writing. I also hate venting my problems to those who don't care/don't need to hear, but all of this crap has happened anyway.**

**Sorry~! I got frustrated. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It was a PAIN to write.**

**At least something good came out of my being sick. I was able to finish up and post this chapter for you guys! **

**Please follow and favorite! Belgium is up next!**


	3. Bella

**A/N: I'm sorry it took so long... I've been lazy.**

**Oh yeah. Ned is Netherlands. Bella is Belgium...**

**Just in case you didn't know.**

**Bella is 12, Ned is 13.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

**/ / /**

"You ready?" Ned asked.

Bella smiled and nodded. "You know where we're going, right?"

Ned nodded. "That old shack the Vargas's Grandpa used to live in."

"Don't disrespect the cabin in Lovino's presence, okay? He's sensitive." Bella said.

Ned shrugged. "That's the one I can deal with. It's the Spainiard, Antonio, that I don't like."

"Would you try to get along? Please? For me?" Bella pleaded.

Ned sighed. "Whatever..."

Bella tilted her head.

"Should we really go now? I mean, you heard that scream." Ned said.

Bella smiled a little. "It's now or never. They're leaving tomorrow whether we're with them or not. Besides, whoever it was probably wasn't anywhere near here."

Ned looked unsure, but took Bella's bag from her and put it on his shoulders.

Bella pouted. "I can carry it!" She whined.

"Well, I've got it now, so you can just deal."

Bella didn't even try to fight with him further, knowing it'd be useless. It'd only waste time.

Ned kept a protective arm around his sister's shoulders as they left their ruined house and went on the short trek to Lovino's cabin.

"You got a jacket, right?" Ned asked.

"It's summer time." Bella mumbled.

"Nights can get cold and summer will end eventually."

Bella rolled her eyes. "I brought one, Ned."

"Good. I brought a second one for you just in case, then."

Bella stopped abruptly and almost got pulled to the ground by Ned's arm.

"Why'd you stop? Are you alright?" Ned asked, backing up to his sister's side.

Bella put a finger to her lips and pointed to a hunched figure near some trash cans.

Ned squinted at it, then turned back and pulled Bella with him. They would take the long way. It didn't matter, so long as it was safe.

Bella quietly followed her brother down the street. Seeing wrecked houses, destroyed vehicles, and fallen and bent signs of all sizes made her feel as though she were in some sort of zombie horror movie... or maybe an awful nightmare. It just didn't feel real.

Bella thought that if she tried hard enough, she would up. She closed her eyes tight, then opened them. Nothing was different.

She dug her nails into her palm. Pain surfaced, but nothing changed. The scenery stayed the same. The eerie feeling didn't go away. Nothing was different.

"Shit."

Bella looked at him. "What?"

"There's more of them over there." Ned whispered.

Bella looked ahead and spotted three zombies stumbling about the street. "What do we do?" She asked.

"Run for it?" Ned suggested.

Bella shook her head. "Lovino won't let us in if we have followers." She said, then tugged him back. "Come on, we can go the other way. It's better if we only have to deal with one."

Ned agreed without hesitation, and they retraced their steps.

Bella smiled at him. "Ned, look! That one zombie guy isn't there anymore!"

Ned shook his head. "It hasn't been long. He couldn't have gone far." He said, speedwalking past the trashcans where they had seen their first zombie of the night.

He became paranoid, his head constantly swinging from the left to the right. He would look back to make sure they weren't being followed, then he'd speed up a little.

"Here, Bella, go ahead of me." Ned commanded, and slowed down.

Bella had no choice but to do so. "Why?" She asked, her head swiveling to the side so she could look back at her brother.

"No reason." Ned pushed her jaw so she would look straight ahead again. "Walk a little faster."

Bella sighed. "You can be a real slave driver, you know."

"Yeah, I know." Ned said. His voice seemed distant.

"Ned?"

"We can't get in if we have 'followers,' right? That's what you said?"

"Yeah... What of it?"

"We've got several." Ned whispered.

"How long have they been there?"

"The whole time."

"What are we gonna do?"

"Bella..." Ned sighed. "You're going to go to the cabin, and I'm going to keep them from going with you."

"Don't be stupid, Ned." Bella growled.

"They won't give up. You heard the news. They're only motivation is to eat. We're not gonna lose them."

"You go to the cabin, then."

"No. I can fight these guys off better. I have a better chance of surviving, but even if I don't-"

"Don't do this, Ned..." Bella begged, trying not to cry.

"My only goal is to keep you safe. It's not to save humanity, not to find a cure, it's to protect you. Please, just go." Ned pushed her forward.

Bella sniffled. "Good luck, Ned..." she whispered, trying to be strong. She would keep her brother happy. She would do as her brother said. She wouldn't let him down. She would live.

Ned half-hugged her, then stopped. "Back at ya, little sis." He said.

Bella started running to the cabin. It was only a little further, she knew, though she couldn't see it yet.

Ned began making a ruckus so the zombie's attention would stay on him as she ran to safety.

Bella could see it now. Lovino's cabin was just visible, the dying light of a streetlamp just barely illuminating it.

She ran faster. She reached the door in seconds.

Ned screamed.

Bella went inside, then slammed the door.

The first thing she saw was the barrel of a gun.

"Anything following you?" Lovino asked.

Bella shook her head. "Ned... Ned kept them away."

Grief clouded Lovino's eyes, but it quickly vanished. "Bites or scratches?"

Again, Bella shook her head.

Lovino put the gun down.

"Who else is here?" Bella asked, sinking to her knees by the door.

"Pretty much everyone. Feli, me, Toni, Mattieu, and Alfred. Now you." Lovino said.

"Anyone else coming?" Bella asked.

"We'll have to wait and see. I sent a mass text to all my contacts... And Feliciano's. Everyone on my list is here... We'll just have to see if anyone else shows up." Lovino said.

"Do you need me to help you out in any way?" Bella asked.

"Just go to bed. I've got Alfred on the couch over there if I get too tired." Lovino said.

Bella nodded.

"Err... The bedroom's full, and Alfred's on the pull-out couch and he's not using it right, but there's a chair with a spare blanket over there." Lovino said, and pointed to a rocking chair in the corner of the room.

Bella nodded her thanks and made herself comfortable, then tried to go to sleep.


End file.
